“The Memorial Reception” attended by more than one hundred

Following the four-day symposium, the “Memorial Reception for Prof. Shoshichi Kobayashi” was held at the Common Room, the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Tokyo at Komaba Campus. More than one hundred people, including many mathematicians in Japan and abroad, and the family members and friends of the deceased attended.

Prof. Emeritus Takushiro Ochiai (Univ. of Tokyo) who served as Chair of the Organization Committee of the Symposium and Reception, and Dean Takashi Tsuboi (Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences, Univ. of Tokyo) gave welcome speeches, followed by Prof. Shing-Tung Yau (Harvard Univ.) and Prof. Paul Vajta (Univ. of California, Berkeley) who spoke their memories of Shoshichi Kobayashi. Dr. Noboru Naito (Shinshu Univ., Nagano), who was a classmate of Shoshichi at Middle School, proposed a toast , wishing the soul may rest in peace. Then the buffet style party began.

Prof. Emeritus Gary Jensen (Washington University, St. Louis) and several others talked about their relationships with the deceased and episodes about him, and the family members delivered thanks speeches. Since the number of participants was large, they were divided into three groups for photos. The meeting adjourned at around 9:30 pm and the participants bade lingering farewell. A DVD that records Shoshichi’s lecture “Mathematics of Circles” given at Keio University and a paperback book “Classroom for Today’s Life: Thirst for Beauty” in which Shoshichi wrote a chapter on “Mathematics and Beauty” were distributed to all the participants as mementos.

The texts of all speeches are available in both English and Japanese. Please click the presenters’ names in the list below.

The group photos were taken by dividing the participants into three groups in alphabetical order. The family members and relatives appear in all the three photos. Click here for more photos taken at the reception.